Spanish 1st Class Gunboats

(The CORTEZ Class & The QUIROS Class)

By Nick Mitiuckov

General:

The following is some basic information on the 1st Class Spanish
Gunboats. The author is searching for more information on these vessels,
and would like verification of the facts as listed below. If you can in
either of these items, please contact the website
administrator, and he will put us in contact! We need your help!

Total there were five 1st Class gunboats, which were named for great
Spanish explorers, navigators and conquistadors: HERNAN CORTES, PIZARRO,
QUIROS, VASCO NUNEZ DE BALBOA, VILLALOBOS.

The following royal decree set the classification of this type of
vessel:

The vessel had one shaft with a triple expansion engine. In her trials,
she reached 14.5 knots. Her armament consisted of 2 x 57mm/43cal
QF guns, 2 machine gun. She had a complement of 53 men.

In 1896, the vessel was transferred to Cuba.
During the Spanish American War, she was in the Caribbean at Nuevitas.
Her commander was Lt. Izquierdo. In 1899, she returned to Spain.
She Took part on the actions against Moroccans, but without success. Stricken
on 1929

The vessel was named for Hernan Cortez (1485-1547) Spanish
conquistador. In 1519-21 he led an expedition to and conquered the Mexico.

PIZARRO

Builder

Laid down

Launched

Commissioned

Clydebank,Scotland

May, 1895

June 30, 1895

1896

Displacement

Dimensions

Horsepower

Speed

Range

Bunker capacity

Class

300 tons

41.2m x 5.8m x 2.0m

600

13 knots

2900 miles

60 tons

Cortez

The vessel had one shaft with a triple expansion engine. In her trials,
she reached 14.5 knots. Her armament consisted of 2 x 57mm/43cal
QF guns, 2 machine gun. She had a complement of 53 men.

In 1896, the vessel was transferred to Cuba.
During the Spanish American War, she was in the Caribbean at Nuevitas.
Her commander was Lt. Leal. In August, when Nuevitas was captured, she
was destroyed.

The vessel was named for Francisco Pizarro (1475-1541), Spanish
conquistador. Pizarro led the expedition in Panama and Peru that conquered
the Inca nation.

QUIROS

Builder

Laid down

Launched

Commissioned

Wanpoa, Hong Kong

1895

1895

1896

Displacement

Dimensions

Horsepower

Speed

Range

Bunker capacity

Class

347 tons

44.3m x 6.9m x 2.3m

500

12 knots

3800 miles

75 tons

Quiros

The vessel had one shaft with a triple expansion engine. Her armament
consisted of 2 x 57mm/43cal QF guns, 2 x 37 mm/30cal. machine guns.
She had a complement of 37 men.

The vessel was sent to the Philippines
in 1896 and was used against the Filipino Insurgents. After the Spanish
American War, Spain planned to return her to Spain, but this proved to
be costly endeavor, and with somewhat doubtful chance of success. In February
of 1900, she was sold to the U.S., and dropped from the Spanish rolls.
The vessel joined the American fleet on March 14, 1900, and took part in
the Philippine-American War. She was sunk as a target in 1923.

The vessel was named for Pedro Fernandes Quiros (1560-1614), Portuguese
explorer and leader of a Spanish expedition that searched for the "South
Land". He explored many isles in the Pacific Ocean.

VASCO NUNEZ DE
BALBOA

Builder

Laid down

Launched

Commissioned

Clydebank,Scotland

June, 1895

September 9, 1895

1896

Displacement

Dimensions

Horsepower

Speed

Range

Bunker capacity

Class

300 tons

41.2m x 5.8m x 2.0m

600

13 knots

2900 miles

60 tons

Cortez

The vessel had one shaft with a triple expansion engine. In her trials,
she reached 14.5 knots. Her armament consisted of 2 x 57mm/43cal
QF guns, 2 machine gun. She had a complement of 53 men.

In 1896, the vessel was transferred to Cuba.
During the Spanish American War, she was at Cienfuegos. On April 28, 1898,
in company with GALICIA, she took part in an action with American forces
when the Americans tried to capture the steamer ARGONAUTA. The Americans
reported hits on her with their 57mm/g pdr. guns,but this is not confirmed
by Spanish reports. On June 13, again with GALICIA, she
attacked the USS YANKEE, which confused her with a dreaded torpedo
boat and retired. During this action BALBOA was struck once with a 127
mm/5 inch round, killing three of her crew and wounding ten. In 1899, she
was returned to Spain. Later, she took part in the actions against the
Moroccans, but without success. She was stricken from the rolls in 1929.

The vessel was named for Vasco Nunez de Balboa (1475-1517) - Spanish
Conquistador, who, in 1513 crossed the Panama isthmus and "discovered"
the Pacific ocean.

Took part at the actions against Insurgents. After war Spanish planned
returned gunboat to Spain, but this plan was too expensive and very doubtful.
On the February 1900 sold to Americans, and left out from fleet lists.
Come to American fleet on 5.03.1900. Took part on war against Philippine
insurgents. Sunk as target on 1933.

The vessel had one shaft with a triple expansion engine. Her armament
consisted of 2 x 25mm/42cal RF guns. She had a complement of
37 men.

The vessel was sent to the Philippines
(probably to Panay) in 1896 and was used against the Filipino Insurgents.
After the Spanish American War, Spain planned to return her to Spain, but
this proved to be costly endeavor, and with somewhat doubtful chance of
success. In February of 1900, she was sold to the U.S., and dropped from
the Spanish rolls. The vessel joined the American fleet on June 3, 1900,
and took part in the Philippine-American War. She was sunk as a target
in 1933.

The vessel was named for Ruy Lopez de la Villalobos, the Spanish
navigator, who explored the Bonin isles on 1543. He named the Philippines
by calling them Real Filippe or "King Filippe's Islands."

Please note that we are looking for more
information on these vessels. If you have additional data, please contact
us!
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